Casinos have long demanded cashless transaction systems for their games of chance. The applicants have discovered that, however, gaming players often desire a simple, familiar method of transferring funds in and out of gaming devices without inserting or withdrawing cash at the gaming devices themselves.
Although other prior art systems also have provided the player with the ability to transfer funds from device to device via a printed voucher, they often have required cash funds to be inserted into the gaming devices to initiate game credit deposits. This is unworkable in certain jurisdictions as well as less than optimal for players who prefer not to deal with insertion of funds at the games themselves.
Another problem is that the prior art voucher systems are usually inflexible. For example, they typically do not provide for games of chance in the system to provide awards in one kind (such as by cash or by a particular product) as well as by credit to the player through the voucher system. This deprives the casino using such systems of the ability to generate excitement in the gaming environment, and thus stimulate the desire to engage in further play of the games, by, for example, dispensing actual cash at the games or by providing awards of particular products to the game player.
The applicants have invented a method and apparatus that can be, but need not necessarily be, cashless and does not require the player to insert cash at the gaming device itself. The applicants"" method and apparatus prints a unique voucher from one of several different types of terminals on a gaming device network. The cash voucher is accepted by the networked gaming devices (player terminals or PTs) in order to play the games on those networked devices (preferably games of chance). The method and apparatus preferably allows for the issuance of a voucher from a cashier terminal operated by a cashier (CT), an optional mobile cashier terminal (MCT), an optional automated cash exchange terminal (CET), or from a player terminal (PT).
When a voucher is issued, a record of the voucher and its corresponding value are preferably recorded on a database in a separate computer called a player account server (PAS). The voucher preferably may be redeemed for value at a CT or MCT. The voucher may also be used to enable the transfer of credits from the database to a PT, so that a player may elect to play at a different gaming device by generating a voucher on one PT and inserting it into another, without use of cash.
Since the voucher identifies an item in the database, the apparatus and method can also be used, if desired by the casino, for the awarding of non-cash prizes, such as merchandise or other items of value at the CT or MCT or through a networked point of sale system.
As noted above, each voucher preferably has a unique and secure identification indicia printed on it in a machine readable code, preferably in a bar code. The identification can be issued by a random number generator or by a combination of the date, time, machine number, or other number wholly or partially encoded onto the voucher. In the preferred embodiment the value of the voucher is used in the encoding algorithm, but is not included in the bar coded information. This can allow reasonable verification of an amount, but not regeneration of the amount. This security method can also allow a ticket to be validated to a higher level of confidence using information not contained in the machine readable coding.
There are other aspects of the invention that will become apparent as the specification proceeds.
It is an advantage of the present invention that it provides a voucher gaming system and method that are economical and relatively cost effective to implement.
It is another advantage of the present invention that it provides a gaming system and method that allows the use of vouchers rather than cash to play games of chance. This can allow a cashless mechanism that does not require player identification, preregistration, or other inconvenient or expensive media.
Yet another advantage is that the present gaming system and method can provide the option of presenting other forms of award, such as merchandise, entertainment, meals, special game or tournament play credits, or player club points to a player other than cash or cash valued vouchers, such as products or services that may be verified through the networked gaming system, through a networked connection to a point of sale system or other system.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it can be used to issue vouchers representing large jackpot awards that require unique administrative handling, while also leaving remaining player credits on the gaming device, thus permitting continued play and profit for the gaming operator.
A still further advantage of the present invention is that it can provide a fail safe award mechanism that ensures a player will receive a voucher award at the very least in the event of the inability of a gaming machine to dispense another type of award, such as cash, to a player.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it can provide a system and method that are flexible and adaptable to provide a variety of types of awards under a varying system or use conditions.
Another advantage of the invention is that it allows a method of voucher redemption by a cashier under conditions where certain network or database elements not fully operational.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides for a dual mode of operation, whereby the same hardware can function as a player terminal or as a cash exchange terminal, with an optional manual operation by a player required to change the operating mode.
Yet another advantage of the invention is that it allows for a cashier terminal to be mobile using a radio link for connection to the other elements of the system.
Still yet another advantage of the invention is that it allows a dual mode of prize payout, whereby a given prize can be issued from a gaming device in a voucher or cash form. This can be initiated by player selection or by one of several circumstances, such as when a coin or coupon payout hopper is empty or a malfunction of one or more other devices interferes with the payout taking place.
There are other advantages of the invention. They will become apparent as the specification proceeds. In this regard, it is to be understood that, with regard to the above-noted Brief Summary of the Invention and Advantages of the Invention, the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the accompanying claims and not necessarily by whether the subject matter fulfills all aspects of the Brief Summary or Advantages stated above.